Alfred swan



A. SWAN. INGANDBSUENT LAMP- SOCKET.

(No Model) UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED SWAN, OF ORANGE, NEV JERSEY, ASSIGNOR, BY DIRECT AND .MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO THE INSULITE MANUFACTURING COMPANY,-

OF NEIV YORK, N. Y.

INCANDESCENT-LAMP SOCKET.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,364, dated October 28, 1890.

Application led April 22, 1889. Serial No. 308,056. (No model.)

To aIZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED SWAN, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, residing at Orange, county of Essex, and State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Incandescent Lamps, fully described and represented in the following specification and the accompanying drawings, forming a part of the same.

This invention relates to the improvement of the sockets or holders of incandescent electric lamps, and more particularly to that class known as individual lamps or such as are provided with circuit makers and breakers, whereby the lamp may be lighted and extinguished.

The invention consists in the simplification of the structure and arrangement of the parts, as is fully set forth in the following description, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustrating the improvements, Figure l is a longitudinal sectional elevation representing the improved socket or holder applied to an incandescent electric lamp. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig. 3 a plan view of the holder detached from the lamp. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of a modification of the improvement.

The incandescent electric lamp A is composed of a glass bulb, within which is supported a carbon lament B, that is attached to wires 2 3, that are sealed in the glass neck and terminate the wire 2 in a socket E and the wire 3 in a contact-ring F, said socket and ring being embedded and secured by proper projections in the nonconductive cement which lls the base of the lamp within its finishing metal band G. The socket E has a central screw-threaded opening and is encircled by the contact-ring F. lf desired, the wire 3 may terminate in the band G, encircling the base of the lamp. This structure provides a lamp having its electric contactpoints terminating upon the face of its base, thus presenting no projection through which in handling, transporting, or attaching any disruption or weakening of the connection between the sockct E or ring F and the filament is likely to occur. It is, however, one of many existing constructions, with all of which my holder may be used, this one being selected with which to illustrate it.

The holder is formed out of a plastic nonconducting material, and is preferably cylindrical in its general shape. Its body consists of a base O and a rearwardly-projecting neck I, preferably formed in one piece. The base O is of a sufficient size to enable it to provide or be provided with a flange that shall form a socket adapted to receive the base of the lamp. This flange vin one form is a collar H, preferably cast into the plastic material forming the holder; but it may be otherwise attached thereto, if desired. In another form this ange is an extension R, cast integral with the body O, and it may have a metal ange Q, adapted to receive and support a shade. The neck I is made long enough to accommodate the attachments for securing the holder to its carrier and to provide a shoulder to the base O, that will support much of the switch structure within the area of the base. This neck I is perforated with a central duct 7 and a lateral duct S for the passage of the line-wires, and the base O is provided centrally at its outer end with an inte-V rior threaded cup 9, cast into or otherwise secured within the body of the holder, which threaded cup 9 is adapted to receive a screwplug 6. This plug 6 has a central perforation aligned with the duct 7 and is screw-threaded to receive a binding-screw l. At a suitable point a contact strip or plate l0 is set into the bodyf the holder, so that its rearward end shall be exposed upon the surface of the neck I, and its protruding forward end shall extend through the base O to engage the contact-ring F. The lamp will be applied to the holder by simply screwing its socket E onto the threaded projecting end of the plug 6. A suitable number of turns will draw the ring F snugly against the strip l0, thereby causing a perfect contact between the two and forming a connection with the wire 3, while the engaged threads of the socket E andplug 6 accomplish a perfect conducting-contact between them and form a connection withthe Wire 2. The line-wires are entered into the top of the neck I, and are fastened thereto in IOO any convenientV or known manner, whereby they are adapted to suspend the lamp or be merely connected thereto. In the form shown the holder is provided with a screw-threaded 5 head or collar J, which is adapted to attach the lamp to a rigid pipe P, which acts to support itin place. These line-wires, properly secured to the holder, pass separately through the ducts 7 8 in its neck, the one entered 1o through the duct 7 being brought into electrical contact with the plug 6 by means of the binding-screw 1, between whose head and the side of the plug it is securely pressed. This wire might, however, be pressed between the bottom of the cup 9 and the rear end of the plug 6, and thus be effectively connected with said plug.

The line-wire entered through the duct 8 is brought out of the same at some distance from -zo the contact strip or plate 10,and is attached to a plate 11 by means of a binding-screw 12, Vor in any other suitable manner. Projecting from this post l1, and secured thereto by the screw 12 or 25 or equivalent means of attachment, is a metallic spring arm or switch 13,

the free end of which is adapted to be pressed into engagement with the contact-strip 10, a rubbing act-ion over its surface being preferable. This switch 13 is vibrated to make or 3o break contact with the strip 10 by means of a switch arm or key 15, which may turn freely in a sleeve 16. The shank of this key carries a cross-pin 17, whose ends bear in the doubled inclined ways 18, formed in the sleeve at opposite points, the result 0f which is that upon rotating said key its shank is thrust inward until its pin ends rest upon the surface of or notches 19in the collar 20 of the sleeve 16, said shank thus pressing the free end of the 4o spring-arm or switch 13 into contact with the strip 10, and thereby connecting the line-wire in the duct 8 with the strip 10, whereby the electric circuit is completed and made continuous from the line-wires through the filamentous loop B. The key 15 may be readily detached from the notches 19 and turned in either direction, and will readily recede so as to allow the arm 13 to move out of contact with the strip 10 by its ends 17 passing into 5o the recesses formed by the inclined ways 18 and being pressed outward by the resilient action of the spring-arm or switch 13.

It will be understood that while the crosspin 17 has been shown as extending through the key so as to project and engage the inclined ways on both sides of the key this is -not absolutely necessary, but the cross-pin may project only on one side of the key. The construction shown, however, is preferable, as

6o securing a more uniform movement and less the strip 10 is extended down so as to overlap the base of the lamp and be pressed into contact with the band G when the lamp is drawn into the holder 1 by screwing its socket E onto the plug G by means of a binding-screw 2l, which passes through said strip 10, and may be tightened up so as to engage and hold the lamp against accidental displacement, and thus preserve perfect electrical contact between its wires 2 3 and the line-wires of the holder.

For the purpose of protecting some of the moving parts of the switch, enabling one to have access to the same and to the line-wires for purposes of repair, and to add to the ornamental appearance of the holder, I provide a hood or cover M of dome-like form, perforated centrally to embrace the neck I, and thus be capable of being moved over said neck and the pipe or other support by which the socket is attached to a holder by the threaded socket E. This hood or cover may be secured by having its base notched to embrace the Shanks of fastening-screws 30 31, or it .may have its side walls slit to convert them into springs, serving to keeping it in place by impinging upon the body of the holder.

While I have shown two structural modifications of the means for securing the lamp to the holder, it is to be understood that others may be adopted. By this simple structure is produced a light, cheap, and effective holder of such form as to adapt it to receive and support the line-wires, connecting contact-plates, and the moving parts of a switch within a comparatively small circumferential area.

My applications, Serial Nos. 301,841 and 301,842, filed March 5, 1889, are to be regarded as divisions of this application.

1. An electric lamp socket consisting of a base and contracted neck, a lamp-support on the base at the end opposite the neck, and a switch moving about said neck within the circumferential area of the base, substantially as described.

2. An electric-lamp socket consisting of a base provided with a lamp-support and having at the end opposite the support a contracted neck through which the line-wires pass, and a switch moving about said neck within the circumferential area of the base, substantially as described.

3. An electric-lamp socket consisting of a base provided with a lamp-support and having at the end opposite the support a contracted neck through which the line-Wires pass, a contact-plate on one side of said neck and adapted to connect with one of the lilament-wires, and a switch moving about said neck within the circumferential area of the base, substantially as described.

4t. In an electric-lamp socket, the combination of a contact-plate secured in the neck of the socket and a spring-arm mounted on the neck of the socket so as to move in a plane transverse to the neck and form rubbing con` tact with said plate, substantially as described.

5. The combination, with the neck I, contact-plate 10, and switch-arm 13, of the key IOO IIO

15, arranged to turn in either direction and be held in its forward position by the pin 17 and notches 19, substantially as described.

6. The combination, with key 15, provided with cross-pin 17, and xed sleeve 16, provided with inclined ways 1S and notches 19, of the spring switch-arm 13, operated by the key in its forward movement and eecting the return of the key,'substantial1y as described.

7. The combination, with key 15, provided with cross-pin 17, and fixed sleeve 16, provided with inclined Ways 18, of spring switch-arm 13, operated by the key in its forward move ment and effecting the return of the key, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto hereunto set my hand in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

ALFRED SWAN.

Witnesses: l J. J. KENNEDY, EDWARD R. WOOD. 

